some country house. the. towns. the crew made to feel. the oil. breaking news this morning from r t a frantic search for survivors is a pleasure cruiser on the river volga sinks with nearly two hundred aboard the russians republic of tatarstan. the base sank in just three minutes leaving days on board with little time to react with more than one hundred people still missing we'll be bringing you the latest developments from that story. also in the program some of our main stories in the we just got a spy hunter in georgia as it charges high profile photographers with snooping from moscow oh but skeptics say it's an anti russian image boosted by president bush

really. it's a demo day job for angry gyptian as they return to terry's squared events against the interim leaders who they say stole the revolution. and we hold the front page britain's best selling newspaper rolls out for the very last time as rupert murdoch sacrifices the title while phone hacking claims and reporter arrests intensify. midnight here in moscow this is r.t. with me kevin no in one story sadly dominating our news right now tragedy in central russia today as more than one hundred people who were on a river cruise feared drowned their boat sank order of a vulgar and cutter stand with nearly two hundred aboard some of those who were rescued and taken to a nearby ship of reach because clearly distressed at their ordeal sara first

following the developments for us all night for our team and one of the hopes no tonight than for those not yet accounted for. well with every hour that passes the rescue operation becoming more and more urgent as a test where the trial and locate the hundred people over a hundred people that are still missing now we've heard from eyewitnesses that there were a large number of children on the plates around thirty children with those who have at the time but they sank have been one of the rings for games of and the eyewitnesses say did it didn't seem likely that they'd had time to escape indeed an incredibly short window of time for days on board just three minutes we've heard of that place to saying now the rescue operation will be ongoing throughout the night so we can head from the local correspondent at the saying. when you know the emergencies ministry has created a special office to investigate the reasons behind the incident the rescue mission

is underway and will continue throughout the night rebalanced which people may have been able to swing too far from where the bullets wind. currents are making the situation increasingly difficult because people may have been swept several kilometers away with them but. just to recap on the events of the last few hours we had led to the place some kind of on t.p.m. mosque a tight end of the emergencies ministry dispatched a rescue team helicopters into is to get to the saying they managed to take the seventy seven people one person beside the contented and they were put on to. play which as we heard has now arrived in his son as they had managed to reach a state people we can head the latest on the emergencies ministry. rescue teams left for the scene as soon as reports came in all those who were

immediately rescued were taken to another ship that was standing close by writing because some people. managed to swim towards nearby islands who are now searching for one woman has died another man is in the hospital with injuries so if you seven people have been saved earlier. now we've actually had the likelihood of people being able to swim to the shields will say sided meaning less or less probable is very strong currents in the area of the volga and it will be a long distance to swim and now the data itself was headed friend a ton of both to the people who survived to intake and it was a two day trip it was going and they have been turning from his and the folk of a very incredibly popular area this time of year to take these kind of plates and we've heard from president and investigation has been launched the emergency ministry of the special department to look into exactly what happened after his

recalls now as the time goes on for this rescue operation as these people remain out in the water and on lake hated by god if anyone is accountable and whether the situation could have been avoided as you say you know if those reports are true that there's a sign within three minutes not a lot of time people get on the life raft look at life and i saw him was it now this protocol is one we hear but what those voices for many many years are there any clues i know it's early days but already clues to what went so badly wrong. well there's a number of different versions about what could it possibly happen we've heard from some eyewitnesses that actually potentially human error could come into play that they clearly and the cops on the way they responded to the problems that the ship high could have contributed to the sinking and probably capsules and how good as best as it could be you know we've also heard from the claimant but he was on board the ship apparently had technical difficulties before it even starts all this

possibly something wrong with the engine so that's another possible version of events that they could have occurred the weather. this is not helping they have to still be consistent firstly going to hinder the rescue operation as well as they restart the multiply like the hundred people that. are going to be looking into exactly what happened and he could be held accountable we need to update itself with fifty five years old say. that perhaps he could have contributed as well that perhaps some design structure in the face of the age of this kid if that if i reports of breaches like this and we've also heard. the past stated they were only past the presence of forty people we know that there are one hundred eighty eight passengers on board in that he said only seventy seven it has been late hate it and as the rescue mission goes of course it's really playing out to family and friends here going to be just really concerned and very very anxious to

hear information about what is happening to these people salute lee a new showing of you is earlier on pictures of the rescue mission and we talk about it being a river but it's one heck of a big river where it happened this boat went down three kilometers off shore didn't it in the waters there were twenty meters deep and you saying a strong currents there is some hope though maybe the rescue rescues hoping against hope that some people may have been able to swim to dry land may have made it those three kilometers of course across the story very much with your help sir thanks for bringing us up to date with what you know. well let me bring you some details about this actual boat we heard a lot from sarah there but just to recap it was a pleasure cruise or have been used for years for day trips and weekend breaks along the volga river it was a double that ship called the ball carrier there it is it was built back in one nine hundred fifty five in czechoslovakia as it was then you have seating for a hundred forty passengers and sarah mentioned it could reach speeds of nearly twelve knots that spoke twenty two kilometers in terms that may be more nautical

people understand better cruising speeds in other words a boat also had restaurants and bars and provided entertainment on board since most trips last a few. days of the time it was being suggested again as we heard from sarah that the dog areas engines maybe weren't working properly at the time of the accident that's not been confirmed also it may be that that ship was overcrowded again very early days that's not been confirmed either the official investigation will of course be asking all those questions and probing what went so badly wrong we'll bring you more as we know it. in georgia three high profile photographers have been charged with spying for moscow to place a claim to those video confessions proving their guilt but skeptics say mikheil saakashvili is on a witch hunt to score political points that is tom barton reports notes on what's being seen as anti russian hype georgia is on a spy role and not for the first time this time the spotlights been shined on those usually behind the camera four photographers were arrested on thursday on suspicion

of spying who was the supposed muster but first georgian authorities didn't say who they thought the alleged spies were working for but a day later they did russia in turn moscow has accused georgia of paranoia the georgians are so quick to stick crisper label onto anyone i guess is just a level of democracy and that has been noticed not just by russia but by various key international organisations like the un one of the photographers was released without charge the other three were charged with espionage and will remain in pretrial custody for two months one of them has gone on hunger strike and protest. however georgian president mikheil saakashvili is personally photographer has reportedly made a video confession admitting to spying for russian opposition figures are skeptical he was recognized they are looking actually quite clear and they haven't already

come out south enjoy your prime time where everything can go but have no real when we go out there and we never saw any kind of real human creation of that government ukraine so this isn't the first time this has happened last year thirteen people were arrested and accused of being on russia's payroll earlier this week nine of them received sentences of up to fourteen years in prison for the georgian government this is a matter of national security but others in georgia are very critical of what they see as particular ruthless political calculation. interaction with the rest of you are always very. similar words because it. really isn't a russian who has never criticize or who are slightly you're going to.

receive must know deal with the most serious about occasions spying it has a neighbor with whom its relations are rock bottom and it has some men in jail but many are questioning whether this is really about justice or about politics from boston to. egypt's prime minister's warning to sack any member of the security forces accused of killing protesters during the uprising that toppled former president hosni mubarak the statement comes after thousands of egyptians turned out for the biggest rally in months angered over the slow pace of prosecuting officials and reforms that people say they'll keep fighting to until they see change but he's innocent now it's at the same for us. egypt's uprising might have ousted president mubarak but to them he's far from gone thousands of people out here on top here they all see different visions of egypt but they tried together because the people we've spoken to feel like their revolution has been stolen we go through. so the

most people should stay alive and well the taste of freedom was short lived the military is in full power mass media is being choked and oppression still rampant and worse than before i think they werent catching activists as much as they are doing now and take them to a prison and i guess now they're being really violent so they want to kill you that evolution this tool that in the first place he's known simply as uncle constant here in egypt a social network or with a twitter army of some thirty thousand followers the military trials of civilians have to stop immediately immediately this is you know one of the major the man's we're putting forward one of many demands including transparent trials for the fallen regime and the purging of corrupt officials they got rid of mubarak you know their high ranking officials but now egypt is the same way it was before january sort of got that little it faces

a little mubarak so many new marks rather than what they're offering them for running the country people like myself have been arguing for taking you to the factories they compare you to the universities of the world places meaning that in every single word police we have an egypt that is amenable no water was never interested in politics until january she was shot with twenty three pellets by riot police twenty of which are still in her leg the pain is finally gone but her perseverance is not the barrier of fear is gone. and she will continue to fight till the end. every every egyptian citizen to be treated as a human being every protester has their own vision of the egypt they're fighting for some want a constitution then free elections others think the new laws should follow the vote but one thing that brings them all together is that this egypt is not the end and

he said no way r t cairo. coming up in the program with me care of you know in just before the anniversary of europe's world massacres since the nazi era party travel says. people are still in search of justice special report coming up. rebels in libya are battling past government forces on the road to tripoli they're now moving towards the key turn of return after a six week long impasse but the capital still remains over one hundred fifty kilometers away the rebels say their progress has been slow because of a lack of ammunition and nato support have been suggestions that the alliance a bit is running low on arms and has asked germany for munitions really galicia reports now and surprise turn after opposing the mission from the outset. more bombs wanted just over one hundred days of airstrikes and with just over two

thousand bombs dropped by nato allies on libya the mission has run into an unexpected problem a lack of cells to drop where there is demand there is supply and this is the only has agreed to provide the much needed ammunition previously berlin house of pain from voting in favor of the un security council resolution on libya and move that surprised son and encourage others but it may now be backing out of a decision the germans may not want to participate but are they have decided that the position does not preclude them actually subsampling weapons in this case or assistance some believe germany is under pressure from other nato members particularly the united states france and the u.k. to take a more active part in a libyan campaign at first hand. you know ministries so the foreign affairs minister don't go into libya it's a very big conflict it was started by the cia and it's a dirty business going good so this is why you voted with russia and china and now

the backlash from washington is so tough obviously we are under pressure to. to do something to make up for this decision aside from peer pressure germany may be lured by the possible financial benefits of making its weapons available for natives use in libya probably germany will get paid for delivering these arms to other countries but that is normal practice between currently between nato countries. out of the twenty eight nato members only eight are actively participating in libya with civilian deaths to which nato recently admitted to a shortage of weapons in the ever relentless more market is still at the helm they call ition may be facing just the beginning of its problems. berlin is in a tough spot on the one hand it has disappointed needs o'barr if using to support the mission only being march on the other by agreeing to supply bonds it may now

lose friends in other high places and whatever the real reasons for its contradictory policy may be germany could find that by trying to please everyone it may end up pleasing no one if you know goes quite. well for its part russia is holding firm on its condemnation of nato military action in libya the foreign minister says the missions of political agreements already cost too many lives. latest bombing libya longer than it was bombing yugoslavia several years ago and there is no end in sight it's obvious that politics is a cynical matter we hear from the western capitals that the bombing should go on until gadhafi backs off but human cost of these political statements is very high. i mean bring up to date on the latest on the main stories you see on the bottom your screen there in red it's our breaking news the tragedy in central russia today after a pleasure cruise assigned with almost two hundred on board in the revolver in talks in tatarstan more than one hundred people are still missing rescue divers are

continuing to search those dark rivers tonight dozens of people who were immediately rescued were taken to a nearby vessel they've now arrived to shore in cars and as you can see these are the latest pictures there we've got through concerned relatives and friends gathered at the dock side of the rescue people were met by police and medical crews of the taken for treatment was most of them please describe the best itself called the cold area reportedly sank within three minutes of getting into difficulty it was three kilometers from the shore when it went down waters about twenty meters it's thought to been carrying people on a weekend sightseeing break indeed it was itself an eyewitness to say a storm is likely to blame for the sinking others suggest a failure of the boat engines of that's not been confirmed an investigation is currently underway. and over the years britain's scandal plagued news of the world newspapers rolled off the presses for the very last time its final edition was apologetic but defiant after being hastily closed by rupert murdoch this week he

had battled media mogul flew to london to take charge of the crisis which it goes to paper and its parent company news international it claimed journalists hacked the phones of murder victims and dead soldiers families police made a number of arrests on friday including a former editor of the paper who's also served as the prime minister's press keep media analysts feel very says rupert murdoch has now lost his long standing community around britain's political elite. i think something changed this week you know for decades british prime ministers have been only needs to get to the murdoch press because they knew that when the sun which is his main daily newspaper if you were in britain when the sun supported a british politician running for prime ministership you know they won it and then you find the next day you find that prime minister reading the sun looking like an idiot saying well the sun got me elected i mean so you've got this good meaning of british democracy is that missing of democracy really which the murdoch press wants it back after but i think it was there for silence as well because important people

needed the murdoch press and they couldn't they couldn't attack it because of that and i think a line was crossed rupert murdoch has a very finely tuned business brain he has a lot of things going on now one of them is to purchase the largest satellite network in britain called east sky b. and back decision is about to be approved by the government that was in jeopardy i think he felt that as a businessman he had to sacrifice the news of the world because it in terms of the whole news international it's a tiny part of all that the political cast have been sucking up to rupert murdoch for so many years including prime minister david cameron he now has to stand back and say no i can't do it anymore it's gone too bad. before both me and serve general accused of ordering distributed some massacre is likely to have a new legal team to represent him at the hague radko not angrily disrupted his second hearing in a week parades and judges for not allowing him to have his lawyers present but many

serbs feel when the tories general's trial will not bring full justice party's country as are of a report. liquid little town of slippery needs saying bosnia-herzegovina looks illich your houses are being built people go about their business and in the center of the town a mosque and church sit side by side but this apparent unity is an illusion sixteen years ago the entire region was torn apart by ethnic clashes during the yugoslav war and seventy making infamous when the united nations stated eight thousand muslim men and boys were massacred by bosnian serb forces today and immoral for the deceased sits on the grounds of a former un military base the sort of thing it's a memorial ground as well maintained and frequently visited by locals journalists and tourists who get lost in the bosnian capital of what's worst aren't shown are the thousands of serbian graves that lined cemeteries all around us they're being

it's a region. thousands of people were killed during the balkan wars of the one nine hundred ninety s. but cemeteries like these were in tariff our lines of murdered serb civilians only get visited by the very few remaining survivors granny comes here all the time his entire family lives here he says a bosnian muslim general is responsible so you will be no i was only nine years old when the sorority stripped away everything i had and wife first to kill my mother then my father and brother i was wounded and taken captive they held me for fifty six days and only god knows how or why i survived. but even though been a survivor his loss just like that thousands of people here is being ignored. each was at the hague tribunal and i was supposed to be a witness in his trial but in the end me and about thirty other witnesses were simply cast aside they didn't call us didn't ask what happened to our families and

the tribunal only getting two years in prison. the balkan war so heinous atrocities visited an all sides and perpetrated by all players but the version most often propagated by western media is rather one sided in blaming the serbs. to. create a rationale for so-called. interventions which. occurred in considerable. amount so that so-called precedent can be traced through the years and into today's headlines bosnia iraq afghanistan and most recently libya have told played unwilling hosts to nato troops and u.s. impose no fly zones it is very important. the creation of the. scenario from a tour in the minds of most people. was

a promise which was preventable but for whatever reasons. for national unity didn't do anything about it. some might say the journey from sibling needs it to benghazi the a baghdad and kabul could now be traced as a kind of major road map but as with any road paved with good intentions there is only one possible destination casuarinas are the r.t.e. bosnia and herzegovina. the fire has broken out of the nursing home for the elderly in northwestern ukraine it's killed sixteen people fire crews battled the frame for five hours and managed to rescue eleven from the blaze victims were then treated in hospital for carbon dioxide poisoning three remain a great year for to rest of it because of the fire but any reports suggest it was not started from the quickly. so going to stan's governments admitted that a series of explosions that shook the city of a dying occurred at

a munitions depo the blast happened on thursday and killed fifteen people according to official reports now initially authorities said it was an instance of a fireworks factory and there were no casualties but that contradicted eyewitness pictures and reports there own two hundred were killed and scores injured it's understood that the officials responsible for giving out false public information would be sacked now understands longer every secretive state even the internet was banned until recently repair works are underway in the stricken town of victims a big promise of government a. world news tonight in brief. violence in bangladesh over a change to the constitution to make the predominantly muslim region more secular police used tear gas to disperse angry isn't this protest with fifty four of those remains the official religion the government's removed because they think absolute faith and trust in. the us is an answer pulling the plug almost eight hundred million dollars of military aid to pakistan are relations between the two countries

have been strained since the summer bin laden's killing in may the white house called pakistan an important ally in the war on terror but added that the relationship quote must be worked on over time. you know on our main news story this hour the tragedy in central russia after that pleasure cruise sank earlier with almost two hundred on board a revolver and the late as we know is that more than one hundred people are still missing rescue divers are continuing to search the waters of the volga tonight. sins of people who were immediately rescued would take about a nearby vessel to shore in khazan as you can see here anxious friends and relatives gathering at the dock side with the first survivors were brought to shore most of them clearly in distress actually sleep they were met by police the medical crews and taken for treatment the vessel itself was called the ball carrier reportedly sank alarmingly within just three minutes of getting into difficulty according to initial reports it was three kilometers from the shore when it went down in waters about twenty meters deep it's thought to be encouraging people on

a weekend sightseeing break itself was on route two because an eye witnesses say a storm could be to blame for the sinking right now investigators are considering a number of possibilities including faulty equipment and whether the boat itself was overcrowded no conclusions yet be drawn we will of course think across all the very latest for the night my name is kevin and you're watching r.t. from moscow.

the book. for. the. the ocean would be soo much brighter than a few new moon bounce song from phones to freshen some. nice for instance on t.v. don't come. wealthy british style design isn't the best but on such.